Brake for street or railway cars



(No Model.)

J. A. HUGHES. BRAKE FOR STREET 0R RAILWAY CABS.

No. 597,772. Patented Jan. 25,1898.

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UNITED STATES PATENT @nricn.

JOEL A. HUGHES, OF DALLAS, TEXAS.

BRAKE FOR STREET OR RAILWAY CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 597,772, dated January25, 18.98.

Application filed Gctober 15, 1897. Serial No. 655,301. (No model.)

Be it known that I, JOEL A. HUGHES, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Dallas, in the county of Dallas and State of Texas,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Brakes for Street orRailway Cars, which is fully described in the following specificationand illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which form a part of thisspecification.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the device complete. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsection through Fig. 1, as per dotted line from A to B. Fig. 3 is atransverse section through Fig. 2, as per dotted line from G to D,showing the construction to the left of said dotted line. Fig. 4 is aside View of the lever-hook. Fig, 5 is aperspective view of the brake asit is ap plied to the car-wheel and the track.

Similar numerals of reference refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views.

The numeral 2 constitutes the framework of the car constructed in theordinary way. To this framework is secured (by bolts 3) a system ofhanger-bars 3, provided with work- -ing joints 3, at the lower ends ofwhich are provided the bearings 4 for a system of levcrs at, the leversand the ends of hangerbars being attached to each other by bolts 5. Themiddle ends of the system of levers are attached to each other by bolts6, while the ends 7 are attached by bolts 8 to the upper ends of cuffs9, which carry the brake-beam 10, the two ends of which are rigidlysecured in the flange-socket 11, (by bolts 12,) which is rigidly securedto the two brake-blocks 13. To the outer" edge of the brake-blocks issecured at friction-shoe 14;, (by bolts 15,) which engages the peripheryof the car-wheel 16, which is secured to axle 17. The brake-block isalso provided with a flange 16, made secure to its lower edge, whichengages the upper flange 16 of the rail 16. The ends 18 of the levers atare attached to link 19 by bolt 20, while the upper end of the link isattached (by bolt 21) to the hoisting and lowering rod 22, the uppermostend of which is attached to the fulcrum end 23 of the lever 24 by bolt2-5, said lever having the bearing 26 on the uppermost end of standard27, which is secured to the floor of the platform of the car by bolts98. The handle of the lever 29 is receivcd in the hook 30, which is madefast by bolts 31, which are secured to the spatterboard 82 of the car.

As to the operation of my device, when the handle of the lever 29 issecured in the hook 30, as shown in Fig. 3, the brake-block 13 will beraised to its highest point, as shown in Fig. 2, as per dotted line X,where it will remain out of use except on such occasion as it will berequired that the car or cars be stopped in the shortest space of timepossible to prevent an accident. hen necessity demands that the brakesshall be used, the handle of the bar 29 is borne downwardly sufficientto release it from the hook, and so soon as the downward pressure isrelieved the fulcrum end of the lever will pass downwardly, allowing thebrake-block to descend to its lowest point, its lower edge resting onthe rail and the shoe binding a portion of the periphery of thecar-wheel.

It is known to me that there are other brakes now in use which stop theimpetus of the cars forward by being applied to the periphery of thewheels, but none of them are so arranged that they can be lowered to thetrack and possessing the double qualities of creating friction in theperiphery of the wheels and at the same time extending sufficientlyunder the wheels to act as a scotch, nor do they possess so much area-offrictional surface as is odered in the frictional surface of the shoesecured to my brake. The brake-shoes when worn can be taken off andreplaced with new ones. To prevent the possibility of the wheels beingderailed when the brakes are suddenly lowered, the flange 16 is placedon the brakeblock to act in concert with the effect created by theflange of the car-wheel, which is on the opposite side of the rail fromthe flange 16.

Having described all that is necessary for a clear understanding of mydevice, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is-

The combination of a brake for street-cars and railway-cars, having asystem of hangerbars 3, (provided with working joints 3') secured to theframework of the car, by bolts 3, the lower ends of hanger-bars providedwith bearings 4, which engage a system of levers 4c, the middle ends ofwhich being attached to each other by bolts 6, while the ends 7 areattached by bolts 8 to the upper ends of cuffs 9, which carry thebrake-beam 10 to the ends of which are suitably secured the brakeblocks13, provided with a shoe 14 (secured to said block by bolts 15), with aflange 16 secured to the lower edge of the block, and with a link 19attached to the ends of the levers by bolts 20 and to the hoisting andlowering rod by bolts 21, said hoisting and lowerinp, rod engaging atthe uppermost end the [O fulcrum end of the lever 24, provided with thestandard 27 and bearing 26; all for a purpose as substantially setforth.

JOEL A. HUGHES.

Attest:

WILLIAM A. CORNEY, \V. T. CLARK.

